Lord Rufford, Hampton, Larry Twentyman and
others sat stock-still on their horses, watching the gorse. Ned
Botsey urged himself a little forward down the hill, and was
creeping on when Captain Glomax asked him whether he would be so--
--obliging kind as to remain where he was for half a minute. Fred
took the observations in good part and stopped his horse. "Does he
do all that cursing and swearing for the 2,000 pounds?" asked the
Senator.
The fox traversed the gorse back from side to side and from corner
to corner again and again. There were two sides certainly at which
he might break, but though he came out more than once he could not
be got to go away.
"They'll kill him now before he breaks," said the elder Botsey.
"Brute!" exclaimed his brother.
"They're hot on him now," said Hampton. At this time the whole side
of the hill was ringing with the music of the hounds.
"He was out then, but Dick turned him," said Larry. Dick was one of
the whips.
"Will you be so kind, Mr. Morton," asked the Senator, "as to tell
me whether they're hunting yet? They've been at it for three hours
and a half, and I should like to know when they begin to amuse
themselves."
Just as he had spoken there came from Dick a cry that he was away.
Tony, who had been down at the side of the gorse, at once jumped
into it, knowing the passage through.
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